Italian Heritage Festival Opens With Meals, Music And Enjoyable

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WHEELING — The Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival, that includes quite a lot of meals, music and leisure, is underway on Water Street in downtown Wheeling.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Friday afternoon in entrance of the Little Italy Stage, positioned throughout from the Heritage Port flagpole on Water Street.

Tony Filberto, chairman of the competition, and a number of other different board members joined this yr’s Italian American of the Year, Robert Contraguerro Jr., who minimize the ribbon through the ceremony. Robert “Moose” Doddrill sang the nationwide anthem earlier than a recording of the Italian nationwide anthem was performed.

Filberto mentioned this yr’s competition, which runs by Sunday, affords one thing for everybody.

“Last year we had 37 vendors. This year we have nearly 70 vendors. So we’ve almost doubled our vendors,” he mentioned. “We moved our Little Italy area and Little Italy Stage here to 12th Street, closer to the main stage.”

He famous the world the place Little Italy was positioned final yr, close to WesBanco Arena, is now a Kids Zone that includes bounce homes and different sights for a payment.

“We might have the nicest kids zone I’ve seen in many years at a festival,” Filberto mentioned. “So we’re inviting all the families to come out and truly enjoy that.”

Filberto additionally invited everybody to attend a Veterans Appreciation Ceremony starting at 11 a.m. Saturday at Heritage Port.

“We want to invite all the veterans to come and be a part of the ceremony,” he mentioned. “And we will have a free luncheon for all the veterans afterward.”

A fireworks present is deliberate for about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

On Sunday, the competition’s ultimate day, a Catholic Mass is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Heritage Port.

“And we’re having a typical spaghetti and meatball dinner right here in Little Italy just after the Mass,” he mentioned.

Filberto invited everybody to attend the competition, whether or not returning or visiting for the primary time.

“It’s a great time to renew some old friendships and maybe make some new ones,” he mentioned. “You’ll run into people from all over the Ohio Valley.”